Novak Djokovic reached the quarterfinals of the 2026 China Open in Beijing after defeating Bu Yunchaokete 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 in a match lasting nearly three hours. The victory tied him with Rafael Nadal’s Open Era record of 31 consecutive wins from a tournament debut.
Equaling Nadal’s 31-Match Milestone on the Diamond Court
The 24-time Grand Slam champion secured his 31st straight victory at the Beijing tournament on Friday, overcoming a first-set deficit against Bu Yunchaokete on the central Diamond court. The Serbian star needed 2 hours and 52 minutes to dispatch the 104th-ranked competitor, requiring treatment from a physiotherapist during a tense second set where the home crowd vocally backed their player. Experience ultimately dictated the outcome as Djokovic claimed the second-set tiebreak 7-2 and broke early in the decider to seal the final set 6-2.
This milestone places Djokovic alongside Rafael Nadal in the record books. Between his 2005 debut and a round-of-16 loss to Robin Söderling in 2009, Nadal had previously started his Roland Garros career with 31 consecutive victories. While Nadal achieved his streak across his first four tournament appearances in Paris, Djokovic’s run in Beijing features an 11-year gap in participation, encompassing six titles won between 2009 and 2015 prior to his return this season.
The Path Through Beijing and the Hard-Court Record
The match started inauspiciously for the 1987-born champion as he dropped the opening set before mounting his comeback. With the victory over Bu, Djokovic advanced his career mark in the Chinese capital to 31 wins and zero losses across seven total appearances, capturing China Open crowns in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015.
Ever since the category was established in 2009, Djokovic also set a mark at 39 years of age by becoming the oldest competitor to advance to that stage of an ATP 500 tournament. His opening-round win over Nuno Borges earlier in the week had brought his streak to 30-0, setting the stage for Friday’s encounter.
| Player | Tournament | Consecutive Wins | Streak Span | Ending Opponent / Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Novak Djokovic | China Open (Beijing) | 31 | 2009–Present | Active (Pending Quarterfinals) |
| Rafael Nadal | Roland Garros (Paris) | 31 | 2005–2009 | Robin Söderling (2009) |
Upcoming Quarterfinal Test in the Chinese Capital
Having equaled Nadal’s benchmark, Djokovic will return to the hard courts of the Diamond Arena over the weekend to contest the quarterfinals. His next opponent will be determined by the round-of-16 clash between Alexander Zverev and Chinese competitor Shang Juncheng.
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